1 post tagged “in rainbows”

Radiohead release their seventh studio album today and it's only available online and you set your own price.  Will you buy the album?  Do you buy the idea?

I probably won't...I'm just not a Radiohead fan.

However, I buy the idea. Simply put: Radiohead is not the first to forgo the label and distribute directly to the fans. Jonathan Coulton started a few years ago, making money from digital downloads, CDs via CD Baby, and concerts. He had minimal protection on his Thing-a-Week series. You could donate to him. Many did. He has become a bit of an internet celebrity, and seems to be doing well.

Radiohead is taking it a baby step further, and gathering a lot of attention.

I think that more and more artists will take this route. What may develop is a more diverse set of music, but fewer semi-bad corporate-designed mega stars. The Jonathan Coultons and Dave and Tracys (another act that has/had a relatively small but devoted following) will be able to produce the music they want and find an audience.

Will they expand beyond a comfortable (if not extravagant) living? Probably not. On the other hand, I would love not to hear about that on the news.